Community Programs

Select staff and Register

Decide who will be the lead CIC contact person for your program. This person will register for the program and receive regular updates from us. Registration runs from September through December. Depending on how you want to implement CIC, you can involve any other educators, coordinators and staff as needed – many different people can play a role. 

Decide population and schedule for the program

There are many different ways to successfully implement CIC. You can involve as many participants as you like, and can target one or multiple age groups. CIC has successfully been run in many different formats.

CIC is a flexible program that can be run during various times of the year. Keep in mind however that if your program is interested in sending students to our state events, these selected inventors will need to submit their projects to us by mid-March. Participation in state events in not required to run Invention Convention, and there are various means by which your participants can showcase their work.  

Set budget and secure funding

While running an Invention Convention program is generally inexpensive, some funds are required. The average program will spend the following each year:

• Program Registration - $250 per program site
• Professional Development – Our standard professional development sessions are included in your registration fee. Customized and program-specific PD is also available and may incur an additional cost. 
• Awards and incidentals for your program's own convention, if needed.
• Finals registration fees for any students going to the CIC State Finals Event (program or parent pay options). 
• Funding for your program staff, if needed
• Supplies - our activities require basic and inexpensive office supplies. Programs may also want to provide tri-fold display boards for their inventors. 

Plan for Professional Development for Program Staff

• Staff new to running Invention Convention should plan to attend one of our training sessions (virtual or in-person) to become familiar with the program. 
• PD sessions are offered during the fall and winter. Site-specific PD is also available on request. 
• CIC trainings are a great opportunity to meet other educators that are running Invention Convention programs.
• Please visit our PD page for current training opportunities!

Hold a “Kick-Off Meeting” for your inventors

Get students excited and motivated to participate in the program. This is particularly important if you are running the Invention Convention program outside of a school setting. Keep parents informed and ask for their support. The CIC offers resources to help get your students excited about the program (videos, flyers, success stories).

Plan instruction time

Instruction typically takes 6-12 weeks depending on how often meetings are held. Plan enough time for your inventors to engage in invention skill building activities, plus create their own invention. Students can work on their inventions outside of school time as well. CIC Staff can help you build a program that fits your timeframe and needs. Once you are ready, begin the program!

Hold your own local Invention Convention

At the conclusion of your program, consider hosting your own Invention Convention event. This can be as big or small as you like. You can engage local businesses, civic organizations and other volunteers to come and judge the exhibits using CIC-provided judging materials. Invite families and other classes to come in and view the displays. 

Optional - Select inventors to attend the CIC Semi-Finals Event

The number of inventors who can move on to the CIC State Semi-Finals from your school or program will be communicated to any interested programs in January, once we know how many students overall in the state are participating. Each school or program chooses the inventors they would like to move on to the Semi-Finals, and we provide you with detailed directions for parents to submit their inventor's project online.